1. Field of the Description
The present description relates, in general, to oil lamps and similar devices for providing illumination of spaces, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for providing illumination similar to that of a oil lamp, e.g., a Kukui pot candle, without the need for an actual flame or even for a wick and fuel that both have to be replaced or maintained.
2. Relevant Background
There are numerous devices and methods for providing lighting in buildings and for illuminating an outdoor space. Often, it is desirable, not only to provide lighting but to do so in a way that provides particular quality of light to achieve a particular illumination effect. For example, it may be useful to provide lower amounts of lighting in a room to set a desired mood. Likewise, it may be useful in an outdoor setting such as along a path or around a pool to provide some illumination for safety and to establish a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Lights that are too bright may be undesirable in such applications. The lighting effect may also be enhanced with lighting that flickers or varies such as achieved with a flame that causes light levels to vary and creates light patterns and shadows that move in a relaxing and interesting manner.
In this regard, oil lamps have been used as a form of lighting for thousands of years for household lighting, for outdoor lighting, and for votive and other purposes. An oil lamp typically is a man-made object used to continuously produce light for a period of time using an oil or oil-based fuel source. Typically, the body of the lamp would be shaped as a pot or bowl to provide a fuel chamber or basin for receiving a volume of oil or similar liquid fuel. An opening or nozzle was provided in the body of the lamp to provide access to the fuel, and a wick was placed over or in this opening so as to extend into and out of the fuel chamber.
When lit, the wick would typically provide a flame with a height typically of less than one inch, and the flame would provide relatively low levels of illumination and would flicker and appear to float, in some oil lamps, on the surface of the pool of liquid fuel or oil. The size and shape of oil lamps varies widely as does the type of oil used as the fuel source. In one common example, candlenut or Kukui nut oil is used as the fuel, and it is, or was, common in Hawaii and other islands for oil lamps called Kukui pots or Kukui pot candles to be used to provide illumination particularly in outdoor settings.
There are many settings where the lighting effect provided by oil lamps such as Kukui pot candles is desired. However, it is desirable to achieve this lighting effect without the safety concerns associated with open flames and oil-based fuel sources and also without the need to refill the oil lamps and perform other maintenance such as replacing wicks. Hence, there remains a need for an apparatus that effectively and realistically provides the illumination or lighting effect of an oil lamp without the need for oil (a liquid fuel) or for a flame that may be thought of as a flameless and oil-free oil lamp.